IT'S ALL ABOUT ALL-STAR MATCHUPS

The Colorado slugger will have to face Seattle fireballer Randy Johnson in the first or second inning of Tuesday's All-Star game in Jacobs Field.

When Walker ducked Johnson in an interleague matchup last month, the criticism was hot and heavy. How could a guy hitting better than .400 elect to sit down against the greatest fastball pitcher of his era, depriving fans of a classic matchup?

Long after the All-Star Games themselves are forgotten, the individual matchups live on: Bo Jackson going very, very deep off Rick Reuschel in the first at-bat of the 1989 game in Anaheim. Carl Hubbell striking out Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Al Simmons and Joe Cronin in succession in the 1934 All-Star game at the Polo Grounds. Fred Lynn hitting a grand slam off Atlee Hammaker in a seven-run third inning in the 1983 game at old Comiskey Park.

Johnson versus Walker could be another classic, or it could be as hilarious as Johnson versus John Kruk in '93.

Who knows? That's why they play.

Until this season, the two leagues never met except for spring training, World Series and All-Star Games, giving a certain mystique to the marquee pitcher-hitter All-Star matchups.

Some wonder whether the same magic will appear when Johnson and Greg Maddux go against each other Tuesday night. Maddux already has faced five American League starters--Brady Anderson, Cal Ripken, Roberto Alomar, Tino Martinez and Paul O'Neill--during interleague play this year.

Will interleague play change the way fans look at the All-Star Game?

"It's Greg Maddux versus Randy Johnson," said Philadelphia pitcher Curt Schilling. "It'd be as exciting today as it is next week or any time. The two best pitchers in the business going head to head."

Before Monday's All-Star workout, Walker answered "the Randy Johnson question" about three times a minute, giving a new and creative response every time.

"I'm proud to go down in history as the only left-handed hitter to take a day off against Randy Johnson," Walker said. "They can call me a chicken. They can call me a (sissy). Whatever you want. But there are a lot of (sissies) in this league then."

The National League has a three-game winning streak on the line, after losses in the previous six July classics. The AL was shut out 6-0 last year and hasn't scored in 14 innings--since Frank Thomas homered in the fourth inning of the '95 game in Arlington, Texas.

In the lineups announced Monday, Tony Gwynn, on yet another chase at the .400 mark, was named designated hitter for the NL squad, with Barry Bonds jumping into the starting lineup in left field and Ray Lankford replacing the injured Kenny Lofton in center. Jeff Blauser takes the starting job of injured Barry Larkin. AL manager Joe Torre asked Albert Belle to take David Justice's outfield spot, but when Belle declined, O'Neill was given the starting nod in right field while Anderson will lead off and play in left.

Stars such as Bonds, Gwynn, Ripken, Alomar, Mike Piazza, Mark McGwire and Ken Griffey Jr. will all face the best of the best with Maddux and Johnson squaring off. Atlanta's Maddux, the former Cubs star who is the first pitcher in history to win four straight Cy Young Awards, has been chosen for six All-Star Games and is making his second start. He's 11-3 with a 2.36 earned-run average this year, and he hasn't walked a batter in his last five starts.

"I've seen a lot of things written about Maddux, usually calling him a control artist," said Yankees pitcher David Cone. "Sure, he is that, but he also has some nasty stuff, too."

Johnson has been selected five times and will be making his second start. He matched up against Hideo Nomo in the '95 game in Texas. He's 12-2 with a 2.20 ERA and 188 strikeouts and, according to Elias Sports Bureau, his recent 44-6 stretch as a starter is the best mark over a period of 50 decisions since Lefty Grove went 46-4 in 1930-31.

Mad Dog versus the Big Unit.

It's baseball's version of Picasso versus Monet, and three months from now, it just might be Game 1 of the Fall Classic.